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Electrical connectorRelated Patent Categories: Electrical Connectors, Including Or For Use With Tape CableElectrical connector description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070123094, Electrical connector. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an electrical connector for electrically connecting a flexible printed circuit to a printed circuit board (PCB). [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] A conventional electrical connector for connecting a flexible printed circuit to a printed circuit board comprises an insulative housing, an actuator pivotably mounted on the housing and a plurality of contacts received in the housing. A flexible printed circuit connecting with the electrical connector defines a plurality of pads on a bottom thereof for connecting with the contacts received in the housing. The actuator can be rotated between an opening position and a closed position. When the actuator is operated in the opening position, the flexible printed circuit is inserted into a receiving cavity of the housing; when the actuator is operated in the closed position, the actuator abuts against the flexible printed circuit tightly for attaining a reliable contact between the pads of the flexible printer circuit and the contacts in the housing. The housing defines a respective receiving slot for receiving a corresponding contact therein. The width of each receiving slot generally defines a minimum value. When the width is defined smaller than the minimum size. The slots of the housing would be hard to mold. The thickness of each contact receiving in the slot of the housing is slightly smaller than the width of the corresponding slot. When the contacts are inserted into the slots of the housing, two sidewalls of each contact abut against the inner wall of each slot of the housing, which can prevent the contacts received in the slots of the housing from shaking too much, when the contacts are pressed downwardly by the actuator, thereby ensuring a reliable electrical connection between the flexible printed circuit and the printed circuit board. [0005] However when high frequency signals are transmitted between the flexible printed circuit board and the printed circuit board, the thickness of the contact is generally decreased for decreasing capacitive effect between adjacent contacts. While the width of the slot in the housing attains a minimized size permitted by the molding demand, the thickness of the contact decreased can lead to a wider distance between the outer sidewalls of the contact with the inner wall of the slot in the housing, so that the contacts receiving in the slots shake greater which can bring about the pads of the flexible printed circuit sliding out from the slots of the housing. Hence the flexible printed circuit can not reliably be electrically connected with the printed circuit board. [0006] Thereby, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which has reliable structure and can perform securely electrical connection between a flexible printed circuit and a printed circuit board (PCB). [0008] In order to achieve above-mentioned objects, an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a housing defining a plurality of receiving slots, a number of electrical contacts received in the housing. Each slot defines four inner walls. The contacts defines a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, a solder portion defined on a distal end thereof, an elastic portion disposed on a top end of the contact and a retention portion connecting the solder and the elastic portion, wherein at least one sidewall of the contact is cleared off with inner walls of the receiving slots, the elastic portion defines a contact portion on an end thereof for connecting with flexible printed circuit, each contact defines at least one protrusion on a sidewall which is clear off the inner wall of the slot. [0009] Compared to the conventional technology, the electrical connector in accordance with the invention can decrease thickness of the contacts. When the width of the receiving slots of the housing attains a minimized size, the distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall is decreased. After the contacts are inserted into the housing, the distance between at least one of sidewalls of the contact and the inner walls of the receiving slot increases. However the projection disposed on the contact can compensate the distance between the contact and the receiving holes of the housing, thus diminishing the swing degree of the contact and preventing the contact portion of the contact from disconnecting with the pads of the flexible circuit board, which can ensure a reliable electrical connection between the electrical connector and the flexible circuit board. [0010] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [0012] FIG. 2 is an assembled view of the electrical connector described in FIG. 1; [0013] FIG. 3 is an isometric view a contact of the electrical connector showing in FIG. 1; [0014] FIG. 4 is an top plan view of the electrical connector showing in FIG. 1; [0015] FIG. 5 is an amplified view of a circle 100 of the FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0016] Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. [0017] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, an electrical connector 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing 10, a plurality of electrical contacts 20 received in the housing 10, an actuator 30 mounted pivotally on the housing 10, and a cover 40 disposed above the housing 10. [0018] The rectangular housing 10 comprises a first surface 101 and a second surface 102 parallel to the first surface 101, a first sidewall 103 and a second sidewall 104 perpendicular to the first surface 101. The first surface 101 defines downwardly a plurality of receiving slots 105 and a securing channel 106, which do not penetrate through the second surface 102. The housing 10 further defines a first receiving recess 107 adjacent to the first sidewall 103 in a transverse direction, and a second receiving recess 108 adjacent to the second sidewall 104. The receiving slots defines a bottom surface 1055, a first inner surface 1053 and a second inner surface 1054 perpendicular to the first inner surface 1053, an anchoring projection 109 extending from the first inner surface 1053 toward the second sidewall 104, and a first engaging slot 110 and a second engaging slot 112 disposed on the second inner surface 1054 and connecting with each other. In addition, the second surface 102 defines inwardly a pair of receiving passageways 115 for receiving the contacts 20 therein. [0019] The actuator 30 defines a rectangular base plate 301. The base plate 301 disposes a retention post 302 and a securing projection 305 on two ends thereof, and a plurality of channels 306 well distributed for preventing actuator 30 from interference with the anchoring projection 109. [0020] The cover 40 comprises a rectangular base portion 401, a first engaging hook 402 and a second engaging hook 405 disposed on two transverse ends thereof. The base portion 401 defines a pair of solder tails 408 on the longitudinal ends thereof for connecting to the printed circuit board, which can enhance the stability and reliability of the connection between the electrical connector 1 and the printed circuit board. Continue reading about Electrical connector... Full patent description for Electrical connector Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Electrical connector patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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